Apparatus for treating fruits and vegetables



Aug.- 26, 1941. w. c. HILL 4 APPARATUS FOR TREATING FRUITS AND VEGETABLES Original Filed Dec. 24, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug.26, 1941.

w. c. HILL APPARATUS FOR TREATING FRUITS -AND VEGETABLE$ 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Deg. 24, 1954 Patented Aug; 26,1941

, arrsns'rns non rass'rmd vscs'rmss rams AND Wallace Curtis Hill, Pomona, Calif.

Original application "December 24.

759,009.. Divided and III 1931. Serial No.13'L812 -1 Claim. (onus-s) This invention relates-to a machine and apparatus for cutting and treating'fruits, vegetables and the like forthe production of base products therefrom, such as beverage bases and fruit juice products capable of being used in the manufac- 1934, Serial No. a plication pril 19,

and immediately quantity thereof. Furthermore, the crushing or ture of beverages,'ices. confections and other food products. The invention is particularly directed toward a machine in which substantially all of the Juices and natural oilsof the fruit or other commodity may be recovered and renproportions as they exist in the whole fruit.

This application iis a division of my copending I application Serial No. 759,009, filed December 24.

1934, which matured to Patent No. 2, 1

granted July 13, 1937, in which is described and claimed a product and method of producing the same employing the apparatus disclosed herein.

In the production of fruit or vegetable juices it has been customary. to grind the fruit, for example, with auger grinders which crush the fruit through knives or cutters by compressive forces, or in the production of citrus juices or citrus juice beverages the fruit may be cut in half, the meat reamed out to disrupt the ,intemal cell structure and thus obtain the juice while the oils from the peels was extracted separately by the use of solvents and the like. I

y the employment of the halving and reaming method and the subsequent extraction of oils from dered available for'use in substantially the same 7 the peel, a large proportion of the volatile oils and water-soluble constituents (possibly including constituents containing vitamin C) was lost, and the more delicate and volatile fractions could not be successfully collected. When attempts were made to add the extracted oil in small proportions to the previously and separately extract ed juice, it was found substantially impossible to duplicate the flavor of fresh citrus juice nor to disperse the oil in suiiiciently fine form within the Juice. a

Processes of the character described hereinabove, furthermore, result in products which have a relatively low vitamin C content. This was probably due to the extensive handling and manipulation to which the Juices and fruit were exposed.

By the employment of the compressive or auger grinding devices, the entire fruit or other article was crushed and the Juices and oils were squeezed therefrom. Such processes, however, resulted in" 'the loss of considerable quantity ofthe oils and Juices due to the fact that the fibrous portions of the fruit were released, from compression inconnection with the in the presence of the extracted juices and oils 5t squeezing of the fruit or other article extracts the oils in relatively large droplets which collect and separate from the Juices extracted.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a machine and apparatus for the extraction of Juices, oils and other constituents from fruits or vegetables, in which substantially no compressive forces are exerted upon the fruit.

Another object of my invention is to provide a machine and apparatus of the character described wherein the fruit or the like is presented to a rapidly moving knife structure which will cutv minute slices from the fruit at such speeds that the peels and Juice sacs of the fruit or the like will be disrupted substantially simultaneously, the

constituents so liberated being in substantially the same proportion as these constituents 'exist in the whole or uncut fruit.

Another obiect of my invention is to provide a machine of the character set forth wherein the cutting or slicing of the fruit or the like occurs immediately above a liquid medium and will be transferred immediately to said medium whereby oils will immediately be-.

the liberated Juices and come dispersed in said medium.

Another object of my invention is to provide an apparatus of the character set forth wherein a tank containing the medium is disposed im--' mediately below the knife andinto which the sliced fruit or the like will be'immediately deposited by the action of the knife.

Another object of my invention is to provide a machine of the character set forth wherein a screen isemployed immediately below the knife for collecting the sliced fruit or the like and separating any large pieces from the medium .contained in the tank.

Another object of my invention is to provide a machine of the character set forth in the preceding paragraph wherein the motive means for operating the knife also acts to circulate the medium through the screen to assist in the intimate association of the medium with the cut fruit.

Other objects of my invention will be apparent from a study of the following specifications, read whereinv Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of one form of apparatus for carrying out my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken along line II-II of Fig. 1;

reabsorbed a relatively large accompanying drawings, I

Fig. 3 is-a plan view of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2; and

' Fig. 4 is an enlarged exploded view of the disc knife, power shaft, motor shaft and medium circulating impellers.

While. the embodiment of the invention herein extraction cylinder 2 may be suspended from a frame 8 provided with outwardly extending supporting arms I and I which may rest on the updescribed is particularly adapted for the treatthe art that the apparatus is equally adapted for the shredding and extraction of juices, oils and other constituents from other fruits and vegetables. I

In general, the method of this invention comprises bringing whole citrus fruit in contact with -a rapidly moving shredding surface whereby the fruit is shredded in a plurality of substantially parallel planes extending transversely through cells carried by the peel are disrupted and shred- .ded at substantially the same time that a portion of the juice sacs of the fruit are disrupted. The simultaneous liberation of oil and juice is conducted in such manner that the oils are absorbed by and dispersed in the juice in the form of a very finely divided stable suspension. It-has been discovered that the fibrous membrane and albedo, although shredded simultaneously, are not reduced to as, fine state of division as the outer peel or the inner juice sacs. possible to separate the albedo and coarser fibrous membranes with relative ease from the finely divided solids, juice and oils dispersed therein.

In order that'the resulting product be substantially stable, tween the oil and aqueous juice, it has been found necessary to perform the shredding operation with great rapidity. The shredding surface with which the fruitare brought into contact, for example, should move at a linear speed of not less than about 1500 feet per minute and preferably at a speed of from about 2000 to 3000 feet per minthe fruit. In this manner, a portion of the'oil For this reason it is that is, not exhibit a separation beper edges of the tank I. Collars I and II maybe carried by the supportingarms for the purpose of being interposed between said arms and the edges of I the tank.

The supporting frame I holds and supports a head ll provided with outwardly extending lugs l2 adapted to cooperate with lug-receiving grooves formedin the edges of the supporting frame 0. The head is provided with a substantially cylindrical, downwardly extending body portion indicated at It and a transverse substantially horizontal portion is. This portion I4 is provided with :a spirally arranged opening of gradually decreasing width, indicated at II, the

transverse member is being built up from near the edges of said spiral opening, as indicated at U, so as to form a spirally arranged, downwardly directed conduit of gradually decreasing area in vertical section. A feeding aperture ll-isformed in the upper mile! the spiral feeding conduit thus formed.

The upper portion ofthe extraction cylinder 2 may be provided with an outwardly extending flange and be of such diameter as to slip over the body portion ll of the head ll. -Suitable clamps carried by the supporting frame 0 permit the extraction cylinder 2 to be removably attached to the head and frame, the. clamps 20 cooperating with the outwardly extending flange of the upper portion! of theextraction cylinder 2." I v v The supporting frame I maybe provided with a suitableframe 2| adapted to support a motor 22 in position concentrically with respect to the extraction cylinder 2. The drlve'shaft 23' of the motor 22 may be'removably coupled'as by means of a. slidably adjustable coupling 24 to a drive shaft 25 extending through a bearing sleeve 20 carried by the head I] 'and into the extraction tank 2. The lower end of the shaft 25 may carry anagitator 21 and be removably keyed to a short ute. When the process is carried out at the preferred speeds, the oils'are found to be dispersed V inch. When speeds lower than 1500 feet per minute' are used, there is a tendency for the oil to Q assume the form of, large droplets which separate from the product, eventually forming a film of oil on the surface. Oxidation sets inand terebinthinate odors and flavors are developed whereas these disadvantages are not encountered when the preferred and higher shredding speeds are used. Although all citrus fruits can be effectively shredded within the range of speeds indicated hereinabove, produce such effective dispersion of the natural oils will depend somewhat upon the type of citrus fruit being treated and the size of the oil cells or oil sacs found in the peel of such fruit.

The appended drawings illustrate one form of apparatus whereby the method of this invention may be effectively carried out. As there shown,

the precise speed adapted to length of .shafting 2| journaled in the base i. The end of the shaft 25 may be squared for introduction into a, square socket portion carried in the coupling 20 forming a part of the stub shaft 28. The lower end of the stub shaft 20 below the base 5 may be provided with agitator blades 30. The base I may be provided with downwardly extending legs II adapted to protect the propeller blades 20 in the event the extraction cylinder is dropped.

Immediately below partition ll of the head II, the shaft 20 is provided with a shredder disc, generally indicated so as to provide shredding knives lying in a plane of about 1*; inch above the upper surface of the disc 32. The method of construction described hereinabove provides a through opening in the disc immediately 'in advance of the sharp edges of the knives, thereby preventing choking of the disc with the shredded portions of the fruit. It is also to be noted that sharp edges of the shredthe plane of the transverse A portion of the disc adjacent der knives are pointed in the direction of rotation of said disc and toward the narrow portion of the spiral hood or feeder I6.

In operation, the tank I is partially filled with milk, 'sirup, alcoholic solution or'other medium of the liquid in the tank'l is sufliciently high to completely submerge the perforated screen cylinder 4. Citrus fruits are then introduced through the opening l8 in the head I! while the shredding disc and agitators 21 and 30 are juices thus liberated immediately fall into the' liquid within the tank I; The agitators 21 and 30 maintain circulation of the liquid through the perforated cylinder 4, thereby causing the oils and juices to pass into the tank I while re-- taining the fibrous matter within the screen cylinder 4. It "Will be observed that the shredded *fibrous'and pulpy matter is not maintained in in which it is desired to incorporate the juice and oils of citrus fruits. Preferably the'level of 0.12'mgm. ascorbic acid, several hours after its preparation. In a check test made upon the Juice of oranges from the same lot of fruit. the juice being extracted by ordinary hand methods 8, immediately prior to the ascorbic acid determination showed 0.33 milligram of ascorbic acid per cc. As the product prepared as described hereinabove consisted of citrus Juice diluted with sir'up, it is evident that products made in ac- 10 cordance with this invention have practically the same ascorbic acid. content as perfectly fresh orange juice. These determinations weremade using the indophenol reduction method, which correctly indicates the vitamin C content of food '15 stuffs. The vitamin C contents of products made in accordance with this invention are much higher than those of any canned or preserved dairy'or fruit juice known to applicant.

As stated hereinabove, the citrus juices and dispersions may be made in sirups, mflk, alcoholic solutions, etc.,'for use as beverages, food bases, sherbets, ices and the like. It appears that the vitamin C content of products produced in this manner is maintained extremely high over protracted periods of time whereas ordinary citrus Juices rapidly degrade in vitamin 9 content upon standing.

It will therefore be observed that I have providedapparatus' which may be employed for the contact with juices but instead is immediatelyeo t Slicing 9 Shredding of fruits. vegetables brought intocontact with the fluid in the tank I; A form of extraction takes place in the screen cylinder 4, extractable constituents being distributed and dissolved in the liquid whereas the fibrous solids are retained within the cylinder.

The formation of an impenetrable layer of fibrous material on 'the inner screen surfaces is prevented by reason of the vigorous agitation afforded by the-propellers 21.3 The screen 4 is preferably of arelatively fine mesh, say 10 to 15 mesh. These sizes havebeen found suflicient to permit certain of the very fine juice sacs to and the like, in which minute slices of the fruit ly directed by the 'kmfe downwardly into the me- 1 dium which is to be employed for suspending and I absorbing the liberated products;

' While I'have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to any of the details hereinbefore de- 40 scribed -or illustrated except as described in the pass into the liquidin tank I and to also permit finely shredded and colored portions of the peel to pass therethrough while retaining in the screen 4 cylinder 4 long, fibrous and pulpy portions originating in the membranes and albedo.

An orange beveragebase prepared on 'asmall unit answering the description given hereinabove was made using 100 pounds of water, pounds 50 of sugar and 2 /2 pounds of citric'acid for the liquid in tank I; 56 pounds of oranges were then grated and dispersed within the sirup. The weight of the pulp and entrained liquid remain- .ing in the screen cylinder 4 was about 46 pounds,

the balance consisting'of sirup and orange products. It-was found that 1 cubic centimeterof this sirup-orange Juice product had a content appended claim.

I claim:

In a machine for treating fruit and the like, a shredding disc having cutters thereon for cutting thin'slices from fruit resting against the surrace of said shredder, a shaft mounting said disc for rotation about a vertical axis, a. receptacle disposed below said disc to receive the'cut fruit.

and the fluids liberated therefrom by said disc, said receptacle having a bottom and perforated side walls, a tank disposed around said receptacle for holding a supply of liquidmedium to absorb the fluids released from said out fruit, a power shaft for rotating said disc, said shaft extendv ing through the bottom of said receptacle, and

impellers on said shaft above and below said bot.. tom for agitating the liquid mediumv in said tank.

' WALLACE CURTIS HILL. 

